The Nutrition and Dietetics (ND) concentration is designed for students who wish to enter the profession of dietetics with the goal of becoming a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN). Students who successfully meet degree and ND concentration requirements receive a Didactic Program in Nutrition and Dietetics (DPND or DPD) verification statement. Qualified students in the ND concentration are eligible to apply to either the CSE combined degree program BS/MS or apply pre-select to the CSE combined MS/DI program.
The ND concentration provides the core educational knowledge of the RDN. The curriculum design follows the standards established by the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND) of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Application to the FN major takes place between the second and third year. Students must apply directly to the FN program and complete a required acceptance form in addition to completing the College’s application process. Students must have a minimum GPA of 2.8 to be accepted in the ND concentration. Beginning fall 2018, students must have completed a minimum of 50 hours in dietetics-related work or volunteer experience as part of the acceptance criteria.
Students wishing to transfer to the ND concentration from another institution may require six semesters to complete all program requirements based on course offerings and individualized transfer needs. Please review our current course sequence below.
RDN Professional Requirements: The issuing of a DPD statement establishes student eligibility to apply to an accredited supervised practice/dietetic internship program of the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND) of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Upon successful completion of the supervised practice, students are eligible to sit for the national credentialing examination to become RDN. Acceptance to supervised practice programs is highly competitive with the approximate national placement about fifty percent yearly.
Please note that beginning 2024, the professional educational standard will require that new RDNs hold a master's degree. Therefore, students entering nutrition and dietetics programs after 2017 will need to plan accordingly. Visit the Academy's website to learn about the profession of nutrition and dietetics education at http://www.eatrightpro.org/resources/career/become-an-rdn-or-dtr.
The mission of the Didactic Program in Nutrition and Dietetics is to prepare graduates for a professional career in or related to nutrition and dietetics through a student-focused approach rooted in the Catholic liberal arts tradition.
Program objectives and outcomes are available upon request from the DPD Director.
Required Courses (85 credits)
Core Requirements (53 credits)
| FN100 | Professional Preparation | 1 |
| FN200 | Intro Food Science w/Lab | 4 |
| FN210 | Basic Human Nutrition* | 4 |
| FN235 | Methods of Nutrition Education | 4 |
| FN300 | Food Production Systems w/Lab* | 4 |
| FN320 | Nutritional Biochemistry I | 4 |
| FN323 | Nutrition in the Life Cycle | 4 |
| FN325 | Nutritional BioChemistry II | 4 |
| FN400 | Prof Practice Dietetics,Food & Nutrition | 1 |
| FN405 | Food Science &Experimental Foods w/Lab | 4 |
| FN435 | Management in Dietetics Practice | 4 |
| FN463 | Nutrition Research Communication Seminar | 2 |
| FN490 | Capstone in Food and Nutrition | 1 |
| FN500 | Community Nutrition | 3 |
| FN501 | Medical Nutrition Therapy I | 3 |
| FN502 | Medical Nutrition Practice I | 1 |
| FN503 | Med Nutr Therapy II | 3 |
| FN504 | Medical Nutrion Practice II | 1 |
| FN507 | Service Learning in Community Nutrition | 1 |
Related Requirements (32 credits)
| BIO117 | Human Physiology | 4 |
| BIO209 | Microbiology | 4 |
| CHEM121 | Intro to Chemistry | 4 |
| CHEM123 | Intro to Organic Chemistry | 4 |
| BUS245 | Accounting for Health Care Professionals | 4 |
| MATH119 | Elementary Statistics | 4 |
SOC
| Sociology Elective | 4 |
PSY
| Psychology Elective | 4 |
A grade of "C" or better is required in all major core courses and in the sciences and related requirements. *FN320 may be taught through the Chemistry program. Students may complete the higher level chemistries: CHEM151, CHEM153 and CHEM211, CHEM213 as substitution for CHEM121 and CHEM123. Students may also elect to complete BIO121, BIO123 as substitution for BIO117. Students planning to make modifications to the either the chemistry or biology requirements must meet with the DPD Director to carefully plan their course sequencing.
Preset Freshmen and Sophomore Pathways
To ensure that students begin and remain on track in terms of graduation and degree requirements, and to maximize student opportunities to add minors or second majors, and therefore increase their options after graduation, the College has designed the Preset Freshmen and Sophomore Pathways.
This curricular sequencing model, which outlines all the courses taken in the first two years, will allow students to complete 75% to 90% of their General Education requirements during just their freshman and sophomore years, as well as all foundational gateway and milestone courses, both in their intended major, and in other complementary majors and minors that they may want to consider.
Students will then be able to focus their junior and senior years almost entirely on their major, as well as on potential minors or second majors.
Simply put, this curricular sequencing model allows students to get the most out of their undergraduate education at CSE.
First Year
Fall Semester (14-18 Credits)
| Element I Core Classes | 6 |
| Pre-Major Gateway Class | 1-4 |
| Preset General Education Elective | 1-4 |
| Outside General Education Elective | 1-4 |
| Developmental Math (if needed) | 0-1.5 |
| EOF or CAPs (if needed) | P/F |
Spring Semester (14-18 Credits)
| Element I Core Classes | 6 |
| Pre-Major Gateway Class | 1-4 |
| Preset General Education Elective | 1-4 |
| Outside General Education Elective | 1-4 |
| Developmental Math (if needed) | 0-1.5 |
Second Year
Fall Semester (14-18 Credits)
| Element I or II Core Classes | 4-8 |
| Pre-Major Milestone Class | 1-4 |
| Preset General Education Elective | 1-4 |
| Outside General Education Elective | 1-4 |
| Developmental Math (if needed) | 0-1.5 |
| EOF or CAPs (if needed) | P/F |
Spring Semester (14-18 Credits)
| Element II or III Core Classes | 4-8 |
| Pre-Major Milestone Class | 1-4 |
| Preset General Education Elective | 1-4 |
| Outside General Education Elective | 1-4 |
| Developmental Math (if needed) | 0-1.5 |
| EOF or CAPs (if needed) | P/F |
Recommended Course Sequence
Total credits 120-129 (120 credits are required for graduation). Application to the major takes place between the second and third year. Students must have a minimum GPA of 2.8 to be accepted in the ND concentration. Students completing the ND concentration are highly encouraged to meet with the DPD advisor on a regular basis.
First Year
Fall Semester (First Semester) (14-18 Credits)
| Element I Gen Ed | 6 |
| PSY100 | General Psychology* | 4 |
| Elective (1-2) | 4-8 |
PSY100: or equivalent. Recommend: BIO111 Fundamentals of Biology.
Spring Semester (Second Semester) (14-18 Credits)
| Element I Gen Ed | 6 |
| MATH119 | Elementary Statistics | 4 |
SOC
| SOC100 | 4 |
| Element II Gen Ed | 4 |
| or | |
| Elective (2-4) | 2-4 |
Second Year
Fall Semester (First Semester) (16-17 Credits)
| FN200 | Intro Food Science w/Lab | 4 |
| BIO209 | Microbiology | 4 |
| CHEM121 | Intro to Chemistry | 4 |
| Element II Gen Ed | 4 |
| FN100 | Professional Preparation | 1 |
BIO209: Option: students may take fall of junior year.
CHEM121: Is a sequence courses for the sciences and MNT. Other prerequisites may apply.
FN100: May take either fall or spring.
Students may elect to take BIO121 Anatomy & Physiology I. See spring semester for BIO123.
Spring Semester (Second Semester) (16-17 Credits)
| FN210 | Basic Human Nutrition* | 4 |
| CHEM123 | Intro to Organic Chemistry | 4 |
| BIO117 | Human Physiology | 4 |
| Element II Gen Ed | 4 |
| FN100 | Professional Preparation | 1 |
CHEM123: Sequence course for the sciences and MNT. Other prerequisites may apply.
BIO117: May be substitute for BIO123 Anatomy & Physiology II. (Students must take BIO121 and BIO123)
Third Year
Note: Application to major required. Please review all acceptance criteria.
Fall Semester (First Semester) (16 Credits)
| FN235 | Methods of Nutrition Education | 4 |
| FN320 | Nutritional Biochemistry I | 4 |
| FN300 | Food Production Systems w/Lab* | 4 |
| Element II Gen Ed | 4 |
| or | |
| Elective | 4 |
FN320: Sequence courses for the sciences and MNT. Note: Complete BIO209 Microbiology if not already taken.
Spring Semester (Second Semester) (16 Credits)
| FN323 | Nutrition in the Life Cycle | 4 |
| FN325 | Nutritional BioChemistry II | 4 |
| BUS245 | Accounting for Health Care Professionals | 4 |
| Element II Gen Ed | 4 |
| or | |
| Element III Gen Ed | 4 |
FN325: Sequence courses for the sciences and MNT.
Fourth Year
Note: Application to the BS/MS program is early fall. Application for the pre-select acceptance to the Combined MS/DI also early fall.
Fall Semester (First Semester) (12-15 Credits)
| FN400 | Prof Practice Dietetics,Food & Nutrition | 1 |
| FN500 | Community Nutrition | 3 |
| FN501 | Medical Nutrition Therapy I | 3 |
| FN502 | Medical Nutrition Practice I | 1 |
| FN507 | Service Learning in Community Nutrition | 1 |
| FN463 | Nutrition Research Communication Seminar | 2 |
| Element IV Gen Ed | 4 |
FN501, FN502: Sequence courses for the sciences and MNT.
Spring Semester (Second Semester) (13-17 Credits)
| FN435 | Management in Dietetics Practice | 4 |
| FN503 | Med Nutr Therapy II | 3 |
| FN504 | Medical Nutrion Practice II | 1 |
| FN405 | Food Science &Experimental Foods w/Lab | 4 |
| FN490 | Capstone in Food and Nutrition | 1 |
| Element IV Gen Ed Capstone or Elective | 4 |
FN503, FN504: Sequence courses for the sciences and MNT.
Course offerings may be subject to revision based on course changes offered by other disciplines.